Minister for Education (New South Wales)

Minister for Education
Incumbent Rob Stokes since 30 January 2017
Department of Education
Style	The Honourable
Nominator	Premier of New South Wales
Appointer	Governor of New South Wales
Inaugural holder	John Plunkett (as the Chairman of the Board of National Education)
Formation	15 July 1848
Website	Department of Education

Assistant Minister for Education Minister for Early Childhood Education Minister for Aboriginal Affairs
Incumbent Sarah Mitchell since 30 January 2017
Department of Education Aboriginal Affairs NSW
Style	The Honourable
Nominator	Premier of New South Wales
Appointer	Governor of New South Wales
Inaugural holder	John Daniel FitzGerald (as the Assistant Minister for Public Instruction)
Formation	4 April 1916

The New South Wales Minister for Education is a minister in the New South Wales Government and has responsibilities that includes all schools and institutes of higher education in New South Wales, Australia.

The current Minister for Education is Rob Stokes, since 30 January 2017. He is assisted by the Assistant Minister for Education, the Minister for Early Childhood Education, and the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, currently Sarah Mitchell, also since 30 January 2017. Together, the ministers administer the portfolio through the Department of Education, Aboriginal Affairs NSW, and a range of other government agencies.

The role of administering the education system in New South Wales began with the passing by the New South Wales Legislative Council of the National Education Board Act 1848, which emulated the 'National' system of education established in Ireland by Lord Stanley in 1831 through the Stanley letter. The Act established the Board of National Education with a Chairman of the Board appointed by the board members. The Board was abolished by the colonial government of Henry Parkes in 1866 with the passing of the Public Schools Act 1866 and its functions were replaced by the Council of Education.

Originally the bill for the act had included a measure to attach the role of President of the Council of Education ex officio to the Colonial Secretary. This measure was deleted in committee stage and the role of President was to be elected by the members of the council. This came to be seen by the first president, Parkes, as an indispensable way in which to protect the independence of the fledgling education system in the colony. From 1873, with the independence of the role of President well established, the responsibility for education within the Parliament was held by the Minister for Justice and Public Instruction.